VCU coach Shaka Smart a master of motivation

Be it with a well-timed speech, a video montage or burning a page out of a calendar to signify renewal from a bad stretch, VCU coach Shaka Smart has proven to be adept with motivational stunts.

He pulled another trick from his bag last Sunday at halftime of VCU’s regional final against Kansas.

“He threw a basketball in the middle of the floor and dove on it,” guard Bradford Burgess said. “He was just trying to show us the attitude and the effort it would take to beat a tough Kansas team. He’s always doing that in practice, taking a charge or running the court. He’s always showing us what it takes to win ballgames, and it’s definitely been showing these past few games.”